Farmer boy

I thought Farmer Boy was really interesting because it was fun to see how they did everything back then. I thought that it was wild that the teachers would fight boys, as their punishment, if they came in late for school. The boys and girls could not have recess together and could not sit next to each other. It's a great book and I would give it a 9.

Go Ask Alice

Go Ask Alice is about a girl who lives a normal life. She has normal parents, and normal friends. Untill everything goes wrong. One day a boy introduces her to drugs. She loves them. Little bye little she tries every kind of drug she can get. Finally, her drug use gets out of control and she decides to leave home with her friend and start a buisness. That of course goes all wrong too and she comes home again. Again, and again she messes up her life. Follow Alice on this never-ending journey and help her find her life. Watch out for the tearjerking ending.

This book has taught me never to even THINK about using drugs. It is really scary the things that happen to her. I would give this book a 10+ and I was sad when it was over.

Chasing Vermeer

If you like mysterys, you would like Chasing Vermeer. I just started this book. It is not so amazing in the beginning, but I have heard it is great at the end. If I had to rate this book 1-10, I would rate it a 5 because it is the not the greatest book but it is not the worst book. Most of the book stays in one setting so far and I think it would be more interesting with more settings. I hope it is going to get better farther in the book.

The Report Card

This book The Report Card,is about a boy and his friends. One day they were late getting on the bus because they had to stay and get there report cards; Stephen and Nora sat in the back of the bus. Stephen said "my favorite subject is spelling." Nora got A's in everything. Stephen got a D in math, a D in science, a D in english, D in art and last but not least a C in spelling. I like this book because I like the author Andrew Clements, and it is good because at first Stephen did not want to tell Nora his grades because it will spread around. I would rate this book 10 because I really enjoy the book.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

I'm reading the 6th book in the series. I'm half way through the book. Harry's getting help from this intersting, mysterious Half Blood Prince. Harry has his old potions book.I think the prince is just a nick name or a made up name. I really want to know how the Prince is. The book is 50 years old. I think that J.K. Rowling a great writer because she has you hooked so that you sometimes don't want to put the book down and she also leaves you at a clef hanger at the end of a chapter.

Titanic

I read a book called The Titanic. About 1 year ago I wen't to a museum that was called The Titanic. It was nothing like the book. The book is kind of scare because the Titanic crasses in to an ice barge. But there is only 2 life boats. So Ruth was the last kid on thye secont life boat. Her family got oin the first life boat. Her and her family had to go to New York because her brother Richered was sick. I wish the Titanic didn't crash in to the ic e barge. I feel very sorry for the people who pased away. Some scientes found part of the Titanic in the ocean.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the fourth book in the sieries. I'm not very far in the book but I can tell you what I think. Well in the first chapter of this book, it literally feels like you are there. There is a house keeper listening to Voldemort and Wormtail (Peter Pettigrew). And when I was reading it, I thought that was right there with the house keeper. It was amazing how J.K. Rowling can hook you in like that. An then with Harry going to see the Quiditch World Cup and seeing all the weird tents is just so fun. That is why I give this book a 8 and a half already! I have one question though, will Harry get attacked at the world cup?

Twilight

Twilight. This book is about a girl named Bella who goes to live with her dad, Charley in Forks. One reason I am enjoying this book because the author(Stephenie M- eyer) gives a lot of detail in what she writes. I also like this book because it is a scary book but not so scary that you will scream and break into sweat. I think that Clem would like There are two other books in this series. New Moon and Eclipse. I think the order of the books is Twilight, New Moon and then Eclipse. Clem is reading Eclipse first, so I guess you can read them out of order but it might make more sense if you read them in order. I think that Clem would like Twilight because it seams like her book.

Marley, a dog like no other

This has got to be the best non-fictional book that I have ever read. It's got a great plot, it's absolutely hilarious, and the best part is that it's in story form. The book is mostly about the life of the author and his hyper, sloppy, uncontrollable dog. It show how much they have a bond with each other, and it shows a lot about loyalty between a man and his dog. It's quite happy other than the that in the end . I absolutely love every part in it. Marley is one of the greatest, funniest and friendliest dogs in the world. It's no wonder why I pulled this 10 rated book out of the favorites section!

The Subtle Knife

I am reading the Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman. It is an interesting and complicated story from the series His Dark Materials, which includes the Golden Compass, another great book by Philip Pullman. The Subtle Knife is about a girl named Lyra, and a boy named Will, but Will is basically the main character, I think. The Subtle Knife is a magical blade that can cut through dimensions. But the point of the Subtle Knife to me was very complicated. I didn't know why the other bearers were chosen to carry the knife, and you don't even know why Will even is. I have many questions, even though I'm finished! This book, and His Dark Materials in general, would be an 8+.  

Dominic

Dominic is a very happy book. The auther is William Steig and it is a 146 page chapter book. It is about a dog called Dominic who wants to see the world. There is a Gang of bad guys who want to get him because he has a lot of treasure that he got from an old dieing hog. He helps all the animals in need and giving away his treasure. He is a wonderfull and nice charecter who is known kindly though the whole city. I read it in second grade and I LOVED it! I'd give this book a 10 because its very good for people who don't like sad things.

The End of The Beginning

The End Of The Beginning is a good book but it is an easy read. When I first picked up this book it looked really childish to me, like a 1st or 2nd grade book but i was wrong, this book is about how two not so good friends go on an adventure and get lost, a lot. I would recommend this book to kids or people that enjoy easy reads and books about weird things like animals talking but I wont give all of it away to the people that want to read the book. I would have to give this book a 9 1/2 because it a little to easy for me but I enjoyed the book. I have never read another book by the author but I can not tell you who the author is because I forget his name but I know for a fact that i have never read another book by him.
-Maddy DeCarlo

George's Marvelous Medicine

George's Marvelous Medicine is about a boy named George and his marvelous invention. One morning, George's parents told him that they were going out for awhile. Poor unlucky George had to stay home with his grizzly,wichy,wicked,evil,beastly and most selfish grandmother. "Don't forget to give your grandmother her medicine at eleven o'clock!" George's parents called out. So there George was, with this 85 year old monstrosity with him. A few hours past and it was almost eleven o'clock, and then all of the sudden, George's brain hached an idea. "You know what," said George, "I will give grandma my own little surprise. I'm going to give grandma a little taste of her own medicine. I think this boo is really funny because Roald Dahl is a funny guy and all of his books have that same kind of humor that makes you want to keep reading because you know that the rest of the book isgoing to be funny too. I myself think that this book is pretty cheesy because it's about a boy living on a farm and most books with grandmas to me are somehow cheesy.
I would rate this book a 8 1/2 because of the cheesiness.

Why I'm Afraid of Bees

By RL Stine

Why im afraid of bees is about a kid who gets turned into a bee. He has to find a way out of it, and quick, or else someone could squish him!I love this book because it has some creepyness, and a little humor. But don't read it because of humor, it barly has any. But that makes it so good. If I were turned into a bee, I would just wait for death, there would be no chance of me surviving like that. But I realy could try, but I don't think there would ever be a solution. All and all, this book is rated 10! Please, read this book.

The Akenten Adventure

The Akenten Adventure has got to be just up there in the my coolio,froolio book list, and I really think I should tell you why! John and Phillipa Gaunt are two ordanary children untill they figure out there djinni,(genie)! I think that one reason I loved the books so much is because there is so much magic and dueling and possesing! Although the book is very cool, be warned it is deffinetly not a comedy! I would give it a 8 for a rating, because I'd give it a 10 if it was funnier, and I'd give it a 9 if they could use their powers even when it was cold out!

The Castle Corona

I read The Castle Corona, by Sharon Creech. It is pretty good. It's a jumble of people and problems in the begining but afterwards, everything ties together. I like it because it is interesting. Interesting meaning it has alot of visaul ideas. The book discribes about how there's a little tunnel made of trees that only the queen can walk through. Sometimes, Sharon Creech puts a bit of humor in the book. For instince, she talks about how Pia- a peasant girl- is so bord that she is looking at how her masters nose is inprinted on his face.

I'd rate this book an eight and three quarters because the ending was a bit abrupt with no reason or ryhme. On the bright side, this book has a good use of words and a good plot!

What ~the~ Dickens

I am reading the book What ~the~ Dickens. This book is about a little fairy named What the Dickens. In this book, What the Dickens meets the tooth fairy and is taken to a fairy land. I know that it sounds cheesy, but Fairy land is a lot more interesting then it sounds. I think that the author did a really good job with all of the different fairies personalities. I loved it when The tooth fairy was getting the tooth, it was really cool how she used floss for a lasso. The detail in this book is so good! I also loved the conversation that was being held between the grandma and the fairy about her dentures. I cant wait to see what happens next. I am loving this book!

Lion Boy

This book is about this boy named Charlie. It I am inferencing takes place in the future, because cars have been banned, almost everyone has Asthma, and if they want to suggest that something took place a really long time ago they say something like. "I believe that it took place sometime near when the gasoline pipes still ran." He is sort of well, a rebel. His parents always encouraged him to be unique and reckless and always do whatever he knew was right even if it got him in over his head. I think that it is a good thing he was encouraged that way. It is important that people do what is right and do what they really have there heart set on doing because if they think that the opportunity will just roll around they will use so much time waiting that could be used to reach your goals. Anyways Charlie is special because when he was a baby his father was in the jungle collecting samples for his lab.(Both his parents are successful scientists) When he heard the distrust call of the Jaguar because her cub stepped on a snake and has snake bite. Then well, I won't tell you what happens but ever since then Charlie was able to speak the language of cat. One day his parents go missing and then Rafi Saddler. The cool kid in town delivers a letter from his mom. Charlie can plainly see that the letter is a sham. So to escape Rafi he stows away on a circus and becomes the lion boy. Befriending young lion and gaining trust of the others they scheme a plan to escape Maccomo ( the lion trainer) and save Charlie from Rafi. This book has a twist to it that makes it so enjoyable because of the way Zizou Corder ordered the words to draw her picture. I think that she chose the perfect time to end the book. Not because it has a satisfying ending, but because the ending is such a cliff hanger. I really enjoy books that have that kind of an ending with one exception. The next book has all ready been written. I hate to wait for a book to come out. If it says in the back of the book coming in 2008 the author seems to wait until the day before New Years. I think that we have the second one in our library. Anyways even though I didn't give a lot of details about the actual book I hope you read it. It's quality is to good to have the bookworms get to it.

Aftermath of the Spill (Marin IJ top story, 11/14/07)

This blog was made for talking about the books we read, but sometimes something so big comes along that we need to get into it and share some reading around it. That's why I'm asking you all to post your thoughts about the aftermath of the oil spill in the San Francisco Bay. Read the lead story in today's Independent Journal, talk to people around you about what they know, and share your thinking back and forth with each other here.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

I'm reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, I would give this book a 10 straight up. It has great humor, action and drama. In this book Harry finds out about a man named Sirius Black. He finds out that Black betrayed his parents and was helping kill his parents; Lily and James Potter. This book is also really good with the hook, I could read this book all day.
This is a super good book.

Whatever Happened to Janie?

What would you do if you saw your face on the missing person side of a milk carton? In The Face on the Milk Carton that is exactly what happened. Janie, an average girl in high school was drinking milk and she saw her face on the milk carton. She finds out that she was kidnapped by her "parents" and her real family was worried sick about her. In Whatever Happened to Janie?, Janie goes to her real family, leaving her other parents miserable. Who knew that an ordinary milk carton could change a person's life? I liked these books because the mysteries were scary but not too scary. I also liked these books because things like this could happen to other kids. They could be having a normal day then, BAM! they learn some horrible thing that will turn their life around. Another reason I like these books is because I can feel the way the characters are feeling because the author (Caroline B. Cooney) described the scenes so well.

Copper Sun

The first thing I want to say is wow. This book is extremely powerful. As soon as you open the book you jump into the life of fifteen-year-old Amari. She lives in Africa. She speaks the language of Ewe. She is engaged. This book is very mature in some ways that are inapropriate. But it is a great, even fantastic book to read if your parents are okay with it. This book made me sit and think for a long time because the discription is so intense. Of Amari leaving her tribe and being thrust upon a mysterious boat to America. On the boat ride over she has to encounter great horrors that no fifteen-year-old should have to. She is sold to a very rich man who lives on a plantation; Master Derby. Amari is intended to be a birthday present for Master Derby's son Clay Derby. The thought of a human being SOLD to someone for a birthday present is unimaginable. But it's real. It's the story of Slavery. The story of misery. The story of hope.

Love from your friend Hananah

This book takes place in from September 1937 to July 1980 in Grand View, New York. Hannah the main charterer writes to 6 different people. those people are Edward, Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt, Aggie, her Grandma, and Missy. Edward is pen pal Hannah but she doesn't want to be pen pals with a boy. Aggie is her best friend who moved away.Aggie doesn't answer any of Hannah letters. Hannah wrote 16 letters to her. Mr. Roosevelt is the president at the time and Mrs. Roosevelt is the First Lady at the time. Missy is Mr. Roosevelt secretary.

I really like this book because it's all letters and the letters tell the story. My favorite letter is when Edward wrote to Hannah on April 19,1938 and told her a secret.It's my favorite letter because Edward trusts Hannah enough to tell her the secret.

Wringer

Wringer is a book that Clem and I are reading for book club and so far it is great! This book is about a young boy that loves birds and his father and his friends are all becoming wringers (bird hunters). They all try to encourage him to be one, but he just can not. He can not wring the necks of the tiny innocent little creatures. Then one morning he sees a pidgeon sitting apon his windowsill.
How will he hide this small pigion? It's up to you to find out!

Holes

Holes is about a boy named Stanley, who did something bad but, is really innocent. He is sent to a boys "concentration" camp where they have to dig holes, and when I say holes, I mean big holes and they are dug in hard ground. The book is basically getting to the point of why they are digging the holes.

Stanley (the main character) made a deal with X-Ray (a boy in his group) that if he found anything in his hole he would give it to X-Ray so he could have the day off. When Stanley finds the golden tube and gives it to X-Ray, then the warden comes and thinks X-Ray found it. The warden is usually mean to everyone and I am kind of suspicious that the warden is being so nice to Stanley. It seems good, but I think that he wants something from Stanley - whatever it is I don't think it's gonna be good.


I can't wait to find out what happens next!

The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass tells of a girl named Lyra she lives at Jordan Collage.I like this book because of it's action.There are kidnappers a.k.a.Gobblersand Lyra loves adventure.There is also a basemant which is like a graveyard underground.Lyra,her best friend Roger,and their 2 daemons explore all the parts of Jordan.Other charcters are her uncle,the master,her dad Lord Aseril,and a bunch of other daemons, servents, and scholers.The master has a plan of his own which is to kill Lord Aseril.I would rate this book a 10 because of it's action.

Holes by Louis Sachar

I'm reading Holes for book clubs. So far nothing much has happened. There is a boy named Stanly. He did something so called illegal that got him into a camp for bad boys. At the camp you have to dig holes. So far the author is basically just explaining what is going on as you can see. I think that they are digging for a reason though the owner of the camp ( the warden) is the one who is making them dig but "digging to moll over your problems" as the warden says seems a little bit cheesy. I think the warden is making them dig for a reason.

HOLES

What!? No one in my book club has posted yet and it's past 6:30pm. Oh well.

Holes is a great book. It's about a boy (named Stanly) and how he gets in trobble for some thing that he didn't do. Not relly how he gets in trouble but that is a big part in the story. Because he gets in trouble he has to go to jail or this camp called CAMP GREEN LAKE. He picks the camp, well, at lest he gets to go swimming every day, NOT. The lake has been dry for a very long time. You might of watced the movie HOLES like I did. Well your in luck because this book so far is pretty much the same as the movie. I give this book a 9, its good but did not finnish.

George's Marvelous Medicine

George's Marvelous Medicine is a great book. George's grandma is a mean old crancky and nasty old lady. George wants to make a medicine that will blow her bad attitude away. If you read this book you would hear all the gross things he puts in the medicine. If you like a wierd, magical and nasty book then George's Marvelous Medicine would be a great story for you.

Frindle

Frindle is about a boy named Nick that makes up the word called Frindle.
Then Nick starts calling pens Frindle. And spreads the word in the school.
There is a teacher named Mrs. Granger, and Mrs. Granger loves the to use a dictionary. If any kid says Frindle and a teacher hears it,they have to
stay after school and write a sentence one hundred times.

Blue Roses

Blue Roses was written by some kids in MVMS who's parents are divorced. If you read it and your parents aren't divorced, then you can get a pretty good idea of how a divorce is. And if your parents aren't divorced, then you can make some connections. Like I think that some of the facts about a divorce in the book are just things that you would probably think happens in a divorce. But some things are kind of true. I think it's great that the MVMS kids included things like " the thermometer" for you to see how your parents are doing (even if your parents aren't divorced). I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know what's behind the curtains in a divorce.

Stargirl

Stargirl is a book about a boy named Leo and he is interested in a girl named Stargirl. Stargirl is very upbeat and is a change to Leo's school.

The book Stargirl is pretty good, it gets a bit gross at times but it has some golden lines! I'd probably rate this as an eight and a half.

I like this book because it's sweet and it has some touching lines in it. Stargirl is a charector that I wish could be everywhere because she is so sweet. Stargirl is sweet because on holidays or even normal days she buts a little somthing on everyones desk, it makes everyone smile! One day she wheres a long white dress and the next day you could find her in a pare of overalls. She really changes the way people judge others on the way they look. Before Stargirl went to Leo's school (MAHS) everyone folwed someone else. For example, if everyone wore jeans and tank tops then nobody would come to school with a dress on.

This is a good book and it's a quick read!

Stargirl

The Prophet of Yonwood

This book is the Third book in the City of Ember series. It is a really confusing book though. See it is about this ten year old girl, Nickie. It takes place in North Carolina during the Crisis. When U.S.A was in this on going fight with the Phalanx Nations. Not really a war just an argument sort of. People thought that there was going to be a war and the world would be over. This book takes place in Yonwood. It is an ity-bity town. The people there were trying to build a shield of goodness. So that when the war hit God would protect them. There was a woman there her name was Athelea Tower. She had this vision, right after the vision she became ill. She kept muttering things like, no sinnies and no likes. No one could tell what they meant but they thought that it was she was becoming an object of which God could talk though. This is where I think that everything becomes a little harsh. There is this Counsel. They are the Tower members. What the Tower members do is they try to interpret what The Prophet(Athelea) means. Then once they decide it is reasonable they go around trying to get everyone to stop doing that thing. For instance if she said no singing. Then all radios would go off, no one would sing in the shower, and people would wince when the heard bird song. I think that all of that is silly. But then in such a small town it seems that everyone has a say, and there is no real head person. It is just that it is like they are over reacting. See if the find you doing something wrong, and you don't stop they put this impossible to break bracelet on you and it runs on like, an everlasting battery. It goes MMMMMMMMM-mmmmmmmm MMMMMMM-mmmmmmm. Ultimately if you don't stop they never take it off and it drives you crazy. I think that is silly but with something as big as the world about to be over I guess it's a little like when people thought someone might be a witch. You are just so scared you don't know what to do. So at the time it seems like the perfect solution. The whole book though I was trying to figure out how it tied into City of Ember and The People of Sparks. I finally gave up trying to make connections and said to myself that I was to young to remember.( My mom read them aloud to me) I turns out though, that it is actually the Prequel. But Jeanne DuPrau ( the author) wanted them to be read that way. Even though this book is confusing I hope that you read this trilogy.

Racso and the Rats of NIMH

To start with,this is actually the sequel for the book Mrs. Frisby and the of NIMH. Look in the October section for the post on the book. Any way, between the books, they're both really great books. They both have very elaborate plots. The plots are also very close. However, I might give it away if I tried to explain them. However I think that Mrs. Frisby and the rats of NIMH actually did have a better plot than the other book. In the sequel it shows a lot of only Racso and his socialization with others around him. It can get a bit tiring. Also some parts are a bit sad, and sadness and/or gloominess is not what I prefere. But the scale of how much I like the books is pretty balenced. (I give Racso and the Rats of NIMH a 9 and 1/3- a 10)

The Ear,the Eye, and the Arm

This book takes place in Zimbabwe,2194. The future, so this book is obliviously really wacky. It is about three kids, Tendai, Rita, and Kuda. Regular kids right? Wrong, these are General Matsika's kids. If you read the book you start to get the impression that General owns the Country. He doesn't but it seems that way. The thing is his kids never get to do anything, never get to go outside, down the street , to the Mebare Matista. No where. See because General owns the Country you can imagine what kind of ransom you could get for them. This book is something that before I read it I thought it would be super weird and wacky advanced technology. Stuff like that. The weird thing is, this book made me think of Ancient Africa. Not however many years in the future. I think that was because everyone uses weird (well not weird just not invented words. I think that made me think of words that they used in the past. Anyways why call it The Ear, the Eye and the Arm? Because when the children go missing their mellower.( Mellower are a mix of Praise singer and companion) Suggests that they hire detectives to go look for them. That's where Eye, Ear, and Arm come in( yes those are their names). The reason they are called that is because Ear has gigantic ears that enable him to hear really tiny things like an ant on the sugar bowl. Arm is super tall (he could just as well be called leg) and he has this unusual ability to sense when things are going to happen. Like when the Baboons are planing to raid the Wheat fields. Eye because his eye-sight is really keen. He can see dust particles on a Hawks feather. This is because a chemical leaked into their mothers water, the chemical effected them in that way. The weird thing is that Arm starts to read peoples thoughts and emotions. That was really interesting to think about when he finds this baby girl and how there thoughts clash. I hope that you read it.

The Wright 3

This book at first thought made me think of the Wright brothers, and that this book was going to be about a mystery involving them, well I was close. See the reason I thought that was because the other book by Blue Balliett( Chasing Vermeer) is about a mystery that spouted from Vermeer (an artist) work. So I thought that after reading Chasing Vermeer this book would also be about a person from history. The only people who came to mind were the Wright brothers. But this book is actually about the architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It is a mystery about on e of his houses, but in this book there is a twist, Tommy comes back. This is a twist because while Tommy was away Clader became good friend with Petra. The problem is that Tommy and Petra don't get along, they constantly fight about everything. I think that Clader was stuck in the middle because when he mentions one to the other they close up and get upset. I know the way Clader feels because I have had friends who don't except each other and it's really annoying because they are just different people. There is no reason to try and block them out. This book also showed me that every little detail is important, I think that this book would be a good book club book because thick questions jump up and nip your nose all the time. This book I think was pretty confusing and sort of weird, because the entire plot basically comes from coincidences. I think that it shows friend ship and bravery and that you should read it.